A directionally tunable but frequency-invariant beamformer on an acoustic velocity-sensor triad to enhance speech perception

J Acoust Soc Am. 2012 May;131(5):3891-902. doi: 10.1121/1.3701991.

Abstract

Herein investigated are computationally simple microphone-array beamformers that are independent of the frequency-spectra of all signals, all interference, and all noises. These beamformers allow the listener to tune the desired azimuth-elevation "look direction." No prior information is needed of the interference. These beamformers deploy a physically compact triad of three collocated but orthogonally oriented velocity sensors. These proposed schemes' efficacy is verified by a jury test, using simulated data constructed with Mandarin Chinese (a.k.a. Putonghua) speech samples. For example, a desired speech signal, originally at a very adverse signal-to-interference-and-noise power ratio (SINR) of -30 dB, may be processed to become fully intelligible to the jury.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acoustics / instrumentation*
  • Algorithms
  • Equipment Design
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Noise
  • Perceptual Masking / physiology
  • Speech Acoustics
  • Speech Intelligibility / physiology
  • Speech Perception / physiology*